In a motorized surgical stapling and cutting instrument, it would be helpful to record when the cartridge has fired and potentially lockout spent cartridges via an electrical means. Further, it would be helpful to detect contact of a staple leg when it is positioned outside the intended pocket contact zone on an anvil. Similarly, it would be helpful to detect the formation of a staple employing anvil pocket contacts. In addition, it would be helpful to detect contact of a predetermined number of staple tip contacts with anvil pockets as well as the predetermined sequencing of the staple contacts. Moreover, it would be helpful to sense the presence of the DLU, removable channel, loaded status of the cartridge, proper seating of the cartridge, and/or closure status of the anvil. Furthermore, most sensing systems rely on complicated sensors or induction in order to detect and assess the status of an end effector system. It would be helpful to have a less smart but more robust version to insure reliability. While several devices have been made and used, it is believed that no one prior to the inventors has made or used the device described in the appended claims.